ST. PAUL - Starting Tuesday, poultry exhibitions are once again allowed in Minnesota.
The Minnesota Board of Animal Health said Monday that the ban placed on poultry exhibitions and other gatherings of birds is now lifted.
Birds will now be permitted at fairs, swap meets, exotic sales, petting zoos and other events where birds are gathered or commingled. Those types of exhibitions were banned May 15 in the midst of the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza.
The ban was put into place to minimize spread of the bird flu and to protect the state’s domestic bird population, according to the Minnesota Board of Animal Health.
Lifting the poultry exhibition ban comes as a result of no new cases of bird flu in Minnesota since June 5.
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During the spring 2015 outbreak, 108 farms spanning 23 counties were infected with avian flu in Minnesota.
All infected farms have completed cleaning and disinfection of their facilities as of Nov. 13 and 104 farms have been cleared to restock their barns with birds.
Despite earlier concerns the highly pathogenic avian influenza could make a return visit during the fall migration of waterfowl, so far there have been no new cases reported.
For additional information on Minnesota’s response to avian influenza, visit mnairesponse.info.
For information on livestock exhibition requirements in Minnesota, visit bah.state.mn.us/exhibitions.
